Thursday, September 1, 2016

Elite Bahamian basketball prospect D’Andre Vilmar.

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#WITH major Division I offers in his sights, elite Bahamian basketball prospect D’Andre Vilmar will relocate for the final season of his high school career.

#Vilmar will transfer to Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, New Jersey for the upcoming fall semester.

#The senior guard will join the Eagles’ programme after spending the last two seasons with the Roman Catholic High School Cahillites in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

HEART OF A CHAMPION: With the Roman Catholic High School Cahillites in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Vilmar helped his team capture their second consecutive PIAA Class 4A title.

#“At Roman, our head coach retired, a lot of players left and it just wasn’t going to feel the same,” Vilmar said.

#“My host family I live with, their son is going to Paul VI with me, my parents think it’s a good move, my aunt and I have been talking about it a whole lot,  my AAU coach thinks it’s a good fit so I’m ready.

#“I feel like going to come there and with some new scenery, I’m going to get to play my game and be more free to do the things I know I can do and the things everybody else in my circle knows I can do.

#“It’s going to  be a great year and I feel like we can make a ‘cinderella’ run. We can really make some noise in south Jersey.”

#Last season, the Eagles lost in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament.

#With the Cahillites, the 6’4” guard and Abaco native helped his team capture their second consecutive PIAA Class 4A title.

#“I love Roman, I love the fans, I had great years there but I felt it was time for a change. I felt like this was something different and this was the right thing to do at this point,” he said.

#“I don’t feel like God would’ve opened this door if this wasn’t where he wanted me to go. This really came out of nowhere. This wasn’t something planned, he just opened this door and I feel like this is the right thing. I’ve been praying a lot about it and I just feel like this is what he wanted me to do.”

#Earlier this month, Vilmar announced via Twitter that he has recently received offers from the Oklahoma Sooners, Long Beach State 49ers and Buffalo Bulls.

#The Bahamian connection with the Big 12 powerhouse Sooners has been well documented with the critically acclaimed career of Buddy Hield and Vilmar could be next in line for the Fall 2017 class.

#The 49ers, out of the Big West Conference, last made the NCAA tournament in 2012 and participated in the NIT last year.

#The Bulls have been one of the fastest rising programmes nationally with back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances, their first in school history.

#In the offseason he participated with coach Darrell Sears’ Jaguars at various tournaments, including the the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic presented by Hal Pastner in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Texas Hoops Great American Shootout in Duncanville, Texas.

#Prior to the summer circuit, Vilmar received one Division I scholarship offer, from the Colorado St Rams while other schools such as La Salle, Penn and Iona have all showed considerable interest.

#Vilmar left Abaco in the sixth grade when he moved to live with his family in Delaware for a better opportunity at excelling in the sport.

Friday, August 5, 2016

D’ANDRE VILMAR

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER a productive offseason on various AAU summer circuits, the major Division I offers he predicted are starting to roll in for Bahamian high school basketball star D’Andre Vilmar.

#Vilmar announced via Twitter that he has recently received offers from the Oklahoma Sooners, Long Beach State 49ers and Buffalo Bulls.

#The Bahamian connection with the Big 12 powerhouse Sooners has been well documented with the critically acclaimed career of Buddy Hield and Vilmar could be next in line for the Fall 2017 class.

#The Sooners are coming off a Final Four season and are recruiting a current class for Fall 2016 which includes four-star shooting guard Kameron McGusty.

#The 49ers, out of the Big West Conference, last made the NCAA tournament in 2012 and participated in the NIT last year.

#The Bulls have been one of the fastest rising programmes nationally with back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances, their first in school history.

#Vilmar recently completed his junior season for the Roman Catholic High School Cahillites in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

#The six-foot, 4-inch guard and Abaco native helped his team capture the 2016 PIAA Class 4A title with a 73-62 win over the Allderdice Dragons.

#After their second consecutive state title, Roman Catholic will lose three starters to graduation, thrusting Vilmar into the spotlight and a leadership role for his senior season.

#In the offseason he participated with coach Darrell Sears’ Jaguars at various tournaments, including the the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic presented by Hal Pastner in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Texas Hoops Great American Shootout in Duncanville, Texas.

#Prior to the summer circuit, Vilmar received one Division I scholarship offer, from the Colorado St Rams while other schools such as La Salle, Penn and Iona have all showed considerable interest.

#Vilmar left Abaco in the sixth grade when he moved to live with his uncle in Delaware for a better opportunity at excelling in the sport.

#He credits his family’s vision for the position he finds himself in at the current moment.

#With Bahamian basketball players Buddy Hield and DeAndre Ayton garnering national attention, Vilmar said he expects to continue that momentum when he gets the opportunity.

#“I like the way that they have the spotlight on the Bahamian players like Buddy and DeAndre,” he said.

#“I feel like I’m next up to be in that spotlight and I feel like I’m ready for it.”

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#A TEAM made up of local and foreign-based Bahamian players have had an impressive run on the AAU summer basketball circuit.

#The Bahamas Jaguars, led by St George’s head coach Darrell Sears, captured their respective bracket championship of the George McClellan Invitational in Houston, Texas during the NCAA’s “live open” recruitment period.

#The Jaguars’ roster was highlighted by some of the top Bahamian high school players, including D’Andre Vilmar, Ahmard Harvey, D’Angelo Mackey, Christopher Johnson and others.

#In the Red Bracket of the HOT division for U-17 players, the Jaguars opened pool play on Friday with a 79-59 win over Backcourt Hoops Elite. On day two they had a 74-71 win over TSK-Texas Supreme Kings and followed with a 60-42 win over Hustle Hard Elite.

#On the final day of competition, the Jaguars closed with three wins. They began the day with a 63-60 win over RL9Elite, followed by an 80-76 win over TX Elite – Tiger Life and in the championship game, took a 69-61 win over Houston Topguns.

#A total of 64 teams competed in the division.

#In the Gold bracket of the SPICY division (U-16) the Jaguars opened tournament play with a 51-42 win over the Houston Rockstarz. They followed with a 55-43 win over FL Elite and suffered their only loss of the tournament 69-66 to eventual bracket champions, Cooz Elite. The Jaguars ended the tournament with a 43-16 win over Beast Elite in a consolation game.

#The GMI is NCAA approved and is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most reputable tournaments held during the July live period with over 100 Division I coaches in attendance.

#The foundation was established in 2006 in honour of the late George McClellan. He was a very strong advocate for youth basketball, giving freely his resources to support the achievement of all student-athletes in the Houston area.

#The foundation strives to make a positive impact on our communities by using basketball and community service as a means to inspire, educate, and guide children towards their potential as student-athletes and as people.

#Sears, the longtime coach of the St George’s Jaguars in Grand Bahama, began the practice of travelling with his players to the United States to gain exposure for his players in the late 1990s.

#Since then, he has been able to forge a network of connections that now affords a greater number of players those same opportunities by showcasing their skills at home in his annual showcase in April.

#In 2017, the Jaguars competed in the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic presented by Hal Pastner in Las Vegas, Nevada. They completed pool play at a perfect 3-0 before they advanced to the main bracket and were eliminated in the second round.

#Prior to Vegas, the Jaguars competed in the Texas Hoops Great American Shootout in Duncanville, Texas.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

D’ANDRE VILMAR

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#A TEAM made up of local and foreign-based Bahamian players have had an impressive run on the AAU summer basketball circuit.

#The Bahamas Jaguars, led by St George’s head coach Darrell Sears, spent several weeks playing across the United States during the NCAA’s “live open” recruitment period.

#The Jaguars’ roster was highlighted by some of the top Bahamian high school players, including D’Andre Vilmar of Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Godfrey Rolle and Qymeh Gibson of Sunrise Christian Academy (Wichita, Kansas), Lathaniel Bastian of Doris Johnson, Anderias Blacks of CC Sweeting and a number of others.

#The team recently competed in the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic presented by Hal Pastner in Las Vegas, Nevada.

#They completed pool play at a perfect 3-0 before they advanced to the main bracket and were eliminated in the second round.

#The Jaguars began the competition with a 72-33 win over South Arlington All Stars (Texas), followed by a 62-45 victory over UpTempo Black (Indiana) and a 61-57 win over Rocktop Nation (Pennsylvania).

#In the championship bracket, Boise Elite (Idaho) were victorious in round one but lost in round two to Northwestern Ohio Bball (Ohio) 72-66.

#Bigfoot Hoops is a company formed and run by Pastner. He has produced and organised premier basketball events for more than two decades. The organisation has created eight major events for the 2016 travel team season,

#Prior to Vegas, the Jaguars competed in the Texas Hoops Great American Shootout in Duncanville, Texas.

#The Jaguars won 57-52 over the Dallas Mustangs to open pool play.They went on to defeat the GCBC Elite-Bullett 69-65.

#Vilmar scored 18 for the Jaguars, with Gibson and Rolle added 13 and 12 respectively. They went on to score a 64-58 win over Oklahoma Impact to advance to the Championship bracket.

#They lost in the opening round to Dallas USA in the NBA Red Championship bracket, 67-60.

#In a previous interview, Vilmar outlined how important the summer is for players on the recruitment circuit.

#“The off-season is a big thing and that’s where you get most of your offers. AAU really started in the spring and for me that will continue in July,” he said,.

#“The summer ball to me is more important. All the coaches come out and see you and you play in front of every coach you can think of. AAU ball is structured but you get to show your game more than you do in the regular season.”

#Sears, the longtime coach of the Jaguars, began the practice of travelling with his players to the United States to gain exposure for his players in the late 1990s.

#Since then, he has been able to forge a network of connections that now affords a greater number of players those same opportunities by showcasing their skills at home in his annual showcase in April.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#RODNEY Curry’s second annual Top Elite Basketball Showcase is going quite well at the AF Adderley Gymnasium. But the local basketball coach is just a little disappointed in the turnout from the players.

#The showcase, which got started on Monday and wraps up on Saturday, is featuring a number of high school and college coaches looking to add some players to their programmes in Florida.

#“We are using this as a recruitment tool for players who want to go to college and even complete their high school in the United States,” Curry said.

#“We have the college and high school coaches here.It’s been going good so far, but the high school coaches are looking for the players, but I think the local coaches are not allowing them to take advantage of their window of opportunity to grasp this showcase.”

#Curry said it’s disappointing to know that there are some coaches who are not encouraging their players to come out because the coaches are looking for the talent.

#“We want the top 11th and 12th graders to be in the showcase because the coaches here are also connected with other schools and they are looking to help them out as well,” he said.

#“But so far for the college showcase, we have some talent coming out. Some of the players still lack the basic fundamentals, which tells us that as coaches, we have a lot of work to do to get these players to the level that they need to be at to play overseas.”

#Here right now to conduct the showcase are coaches Justin Cardoza from Florida National University, Charles Agumagu from St Thomas University and Al Pagues from Inspire Preparatory Academy. They are all looking at different aspects of the programme for various players.

#Cardoza, the assistant men’s basketball coach for the FNU out of Hialeah, Florida, has coached Jamaal Walker, a 6-foot, 3-inch player who helped their Conquistadors, who made it to their third division one national championship appearance in a row.

#“We are looking at the development of their skills and looking at certain kids to see what their grade-point averages are and whether they can fit into our system,” he said.

#“We’re not looking at anything in particular. I’m just trying to get some players to add to our programme. We have a JV (junior varsity) programme, so maybe there is a player who might need to work on certain things.”

#Back for his second appearance, Cardoza said there is a lot of talent here and he’s looking forward to finding some more players like Walker.

#“In general, there are a lot of guys who are very athletic here,” he said. “It’s just finding the ones that have the high basketball IQ and just understanding the game and the certain skill sets that we might need.”

#This is the first time that Agumagu has visited the Bahamas. The assistant coach, at St Thomas University in Miami Gardens, said the trip here has been so surreal.

#“When you’ve never been to a place, you kind of have something in the back of your head of how it supposed to be,” he said. “It’s lovely man. I enjoy it. I enjoy the kids I’ve been around, coach Curry has been a gracious coach and the food is so nice. I definitely enjoy it.”

#Agumagu, who works under head coach Patrick Gayle on their Bobcats men’s basketball team, said he’s not here recruiting for size, but rather he’s looking for the athleticism that the Bahamian players are known for.

#“It’s never a question of whether they are athletic or not,” he said. “The question is usually do they have the skills set to match their athleticism.”

#The Bobcats currently include Bahamian Mikhail Rolle, a 6-3 guard who transferred from Broward College after attending Champagnat Catholic High School.

#“He’s a very disciplined young man who listens and doesn’t take constructive criticism the young way,” Agumagu pointed out. “That’s why I’m here. I’m hoping that I can find a couple more players like Mikhail Rolle.”

#Pagues, from Inspire Preparatory Academy in Orlando, Florida, is back for his second year but he’s concerned that he has not seen the taller players as he saw then.

#“The players were bigger and more athletic. They had a better feel for the game. They can play a little longer,” he said.

#“This year, the players here are athletic, but they are not as talented as what we saw last year. “It’s a no brainer because you can teach them basketball. Some of them have the ability, they can shoot and they can pass the ball. They have the complete package.”

#For his programme, Pagues said he’s looking for more size and players who can think on their feet and play real hard. “At my school we do a lot of play development, countless hours of it, so I’m not really worried about the skill set. I like what I’ve seen. I like what coach Curry is doing. It could really take off.

Lathaniel Bastian

Friday, July 31, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#After missing out on his first opportunity to secure a major division one basketball scholarship, Lathaniel Bastian is hoping that his dream comes true this time around.

#The 2016 graduate of Doris Johnson High School, where he helped the Mystic Marlins under coach Denycko Bowles win the school’s first championship title, will get a chance to display his skills at the All-American Junior College Showcase.

#The event, scheduled for August 15-16 at the International Sports Arena in Stone Mountain, Georgia, will feature the elite 80 players in the west (used to be invited to our Vegas event) and the elite 80 players in the east combined together for one big weekend.

#Each player will play up to four games throughout the weekend, concluding with the top 20 All-Star showcase where the top players from the event will advance.

#This showcase is designed for the top rising junior college sophomores in the country with games being played in front of a national audience on ESPN, CBS Sports and Rivals with NBA personnel and numerous other national media and scouting services on hand.

#Each player will be evaluated and considered for the 2021 JucoRecruiting.com Top 100 Rankings.

#Having had his student visa denied at least five times by the American Embassy, Bastian missed out on an opportunity to play for the Gillette Proghorns in Gillette, Wyoming.

#Instead, after he finally got his visa sorted out, he went to Rend Lake College in Illinois before he transferred to Trinity Valley College in Texas in January.

#Of course, he didn’t get to display his skills because of the shutdown of sporting activities worldwide in March because of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s all about putting in the hard work and being in the right position,” said Bastian, who is still in Texas preparing for the showcase after he got some exposure playing in the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s Summer of Thunder with the Commonwealth Bank Giants and the International Basketball Academy – Bahamas.

#“I feel like I’m in the right position. I had a lot of offers coming in, but they really want me to play in this showcase to see how I will fear against the potential college players. They are going to see me play.”

#The 21-year-old Bastian said the assistant coach art Trinity Prep have been working with him on his basketball skills, making sure that he is properly prepared to shine in the showcase.

#“My coaches just told me to continue doing what I’ve been doing and that is play hard,” said Bastian, who stands at 6-feet, eight-inches and play the small forward position.

#“I feel like I’ve been stepped over my whole life and having had a chance to come here to the United States to play last year, this is a good opportunity for me to really perform. So I’m really happy and excited. I just want to dominate”

#Calling it his second time around to shine, Bastian said he have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

#“I have improved so much in the game, so I feel my chances to shine is great,” he insisted.

#Bastian thanked God for giving him the ability to get into the United States and top perform. He also credit his mother, Monique Jennings, for being there financially for him every step of the way.

#“I’ve put myself in this position to be successful,” he stressed. “My mom has tried her best with no help. I haven’t had to ask anybody to assist me in any way. But I’m glad to get this opportunity and I hope to make the best of it.”

#At present, the United States is under siege because of the rise in cases of Covid-19, but Bastian said while he is concerned about what’s going on, he’s not going to let it deter him from his ultimate goal.

#“It’s here and we have to deal with it,” he insisted. “But while I’m concerned about it, I have to do what I have to do. Follow the safety rules and hope that I am not affected.”

#Hopefully, he said the virus will pass soon, but he’s more eager to be able to get to the showcase and display his skills. The officials have released the list of measures they will take for everyone as they participate in the showcase.

Friday, July 31, 2020

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#HEAD coaches Rolando “Lonnie” Greene and Norbert Elliott indicated how pleased they are that their Bahamian athletes have made it to the United States and can now get ready for the upcoming track and field season at the University of Kentucky and Purdue University.

#Greene, the head coach of the track team that includes ‘Golden Girl’ Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie as an assistant, will have the return services of quarter-miler Megan Moss for her sophomore year and will welcome freshman sprinter Jaida Knowles.

#Elliott, who moved up from being assistant to the head coach at Purdue after the departure of Greene, will see sprinter Samson Colebrooke return for his senior year that got washed away due to the coronavirus, while triple jumper Tamar Greene will be in his junior year and sprinter VinAjah Adderley will be making her freshman appearance.

#There were some concerns with the border being closed, reopened and then closed again to international travel in the Bahamas because of the spike in the coronavirus, whether or not any of the student-athletes would have been affected.

#Greene, who took over the Wildcats’ programme at Kentucky in 2018, said one of the first things they tried to do was to ensure that the Bahamian or foreign athletes coming into the United States were taken care off and will be able to make it to Lexington, Kentucky.

#“Fortunately, Jaida holds dual citizenship as an American and a Bahamian, so it didn’t affect her at all. The only thing she had to do was to get out of Nassau before they locked the country down,” he said.

#“She was already cleared by the NCAA because she was an excellent student, so she had already met all of the requirements. So the only thing was to get her out of the country. She did that a week before the lockdown and is staying with a relative in Atlanta.”

#As for Moss, Greene said she had her student visa so she was set. “Her parents were very aggressive and they got her back to school before the lockdown as well. So she’s already here at school. She’s living off campus, but she’s alright.”

#Greene said they wanted to make sure that they were not putting any of their student-athletes in harm’s way by not doing everything the right way and it worked in their favour.

#Students at the University of Kentucky will report to school for the new term on August 17. The dorms open on August 9, but there is a requirement for those staying on campus to be quarantined before they begin classes.

#With the sporting programmes in the United States, which have been affected by the shutdown since March when the coronavirus had an outburst in cases, there’s still no word on what will happen when schools reopen. The good thing is the track and field programme won’t begin until December with indoors so, by then, there should be some indication as to what will take place.

#Prior to the halting of the sporting activities, Kentucky had qualified 14 athletes, including Moss, for the NCAA Indoor Championships. That meet, along with the entire outdoor season, was called off.

#At Purdue, Elliott said Colebrooke remained in West Lafayette, Indiana where he attended summer classes before school was closed and he went to spend time with his relatives in Atlanta.

#“He wanted to go home, but he didn’t,” Elliott said. “That was a smart decision on his path not to go because he may have had problems getting out because of the lockdown, if he had to be quarantined when he got there.”

#Both Greene and Adderley were in Nassau, but Elliott said they hastily got out before the lockdown. They were then put into a two-week quarantine to get ready for their classes.

#“We have one of our recruits from Trinidad & Tobago, who can’t get in until January because she didn’t have her student visa,” Elliott stated. “But none of the Bahamian student-athletes are affected.

#“Right now, the Athletic Department at Purdue is focusing on the fall sports like volleyball, football and cross country. They are trying to find out how they can reschedule them because our Big Ten Conference has eliminated them.”

#Elliott said at Purdue, they are just watching to see how things will unfold with Covid-19 before they can start to prepare for the Boilermakers’ indoor track and field season that normally start in December.

#With the team they have on paper, Elliott said he’s looking forward to Colebrooke and Greene to compete very well next year and eventually making the Bahamas’ team for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

#The games would have been taking place at this time, but was rescheduled for next year due to the spread of the coronavirus. Moss had been billed by Greene as a contender to make the women’s team for the Bahamas.

#Only time will tell what will happen once schools open up and NCAA make a ruling on how they will proceed with their sporting programmes

Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield. (file photo)

Friday, July 31, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#CHAVANO “Buddy” Hield had a simple reply when asked about the Sacramento Kings’ playoff prospects:

#“It’s an eight-game tournament and we want all the smoke.”

#Hield spoke to reporters from the NBA clean site following the team’s final practice ahead of their official restart to the season 8pm tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.

#Each of the 22 teams in Orlando at the Walt Disney Resort’s Wide World of Sports Complex will play eight “seeding games” followed by the traditional playoff format.

#In the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, The Kings are No.10 at 28-36 and 3.5 games behind the No.8 Memphis Grizzlies at 32-33.

#If the No.9 seed is more than four games behind the No.8 seed, No. 8 will make the playoffs.

#If they are fewer than four games behind, the teams will compete in a play-in tournament for the final spot. “We are going to compete, try to win this tournament. Hopefully, teams that are ahead of us are knocked off, but we just have to control what we can control. Win as many as we can and take it one game at a time,” Hield said.

#“We picked up the intensity level. We’re competing and we know what’s at stake. It’s an eight-game tournament and we’re just going out there to compete. Every game is serious, every possession, can’t be any mistakes. We have to try to be mistake free and every game we have to win.”

#The Kings finished scrimmages 1-2.

#“They were really important. We didn’t get the result we wanted all three scrimmage games but we got to learn from them and we keep getting better and better. We had a great practice, so every day we just have to keep improving. When the ball gets going all we can do is compete and give it all we’ve got,” Hield said.

#Hield led the Kings in scoring at 18.3 points per game. He also added five rebounds and 2.3 assists per game and said his recovery from COVID-19 has gone as well as can be expected.

#“I feel like I’m there now. Of course, when you’re playing a preseason game it’s different from a real game, your anxiety and mental preparation is different. When my number is called, I go out there and produce for my team, the goal is to try to stay mistake free, score as much as I can, get my teammates involved and compete on both sides of the floor,” he said, “I know what my teammates need me to do – be better defensively, making plays, using my weapons to help guys get open and just be a more mature basketball player. I think in quarantine I was able to watch film, see my mistakes, the things I’ve been messing up on and I just worked on correcting them and trying to apply them to the game.

#Hield said the team’s isolation in the bubble at the Disney resort has created a bonding experience.

#“We get to bond more, know about guys’ personal lives, get in depth and get to know guys that you might not have those opportunities to interact within the season,” he said, “The bonding means a lot, especially going into a tournament where we have to go in with all time high confidence and that comes from gelling and communicating with each other. Understanding it doesn’t matter who scores 35 points, 20 points or two points. The ultimate goal is an eight game playoff and we have to win, for us to get to that point we have to come together.”

#One of his many off-the-court concerns for Hield and other players – being away from friends and family over an extended period of time while isolated at the clean site.

#“It’s difficult for everybody. It’s something we’ve been through before and we have to adjust, but it’s life, we’re blessed to be here,” Hield said, “We cant see our families but we have to provide for them, put food on the table, put a roof over their heads, that’s the main point and thank God for us being able to resume the NBA season so we can make money and provide for them. It’s tough right now but we know it’ll be better in the long run.”

Friday, July 31, 2020

NASHAD Mackey

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#NASHAD Mackey will return to the Embry-Riddle Eagles men’s basketball programme, but will transition to the sidelines in a new role as a member of the coaching staff.

#Mackey will re-join the team this fall as a graduate assistant coach.

#“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to be back in the Embry-Riddle environment, surrounded by all these amazing people, the staff and this wonderful group of guys,” Mackey said in a statement to ERAU Athletics. “I am truly grateful to be an Eagle again and work side-by-side with a talented coaching staff and do big things for this university.”

#The Eagles are coming off their best NCAA II season in 2019-20, finishing 20-10 overall while earning a berth to the NCAA National Tournament before the season prematurely ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

#Mackey concluded his collegiate basketball playing career as one of the programme’s all-time leaders.

#In his two-year run with the Eagles, he was a two-time Sunshine State Conference All-Conference performer.

#He registered 39 double-doubles in 50 career games in an Eagle uniform, averaging 17.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 blocks per game – the only Eagle to average a double-double for his Embry-Riddle career.

#Mackey’s scoring average ranks fourth all-time in Eagle history, while his 12.2 boards per outing is easily the top mark in 31 seasons of ERAU basketball. His career totals also include second all-time in free throw percentage (.870) and eighth in blocked shot average (1.1). “We are extremely excited to add one of our all-time great players in Nashad to our coaching staff. From the very first day he committed to our university and basketball programme, Nashad earned the utmost respect and trust from his coaches and teammates in his leadership ability at the very highest level.”

#Head Coach Steve Ridder said to ERAU Athletics: “Nashad is a born leader who has a tremendously high basketball IQ, relentless work ethic, discipline, great communication skills and a burning desire to impact other people’s lives as a servant-leader. He is a tremendous example of what Embry-Riddle University, and specifically our athletic programme, is all about. I know he is both passionate and grateful to have this opportunity for him, his wife Simone and their children Noah and Malayah.”

#As a junior, Mackey produced a number of career milestones and postseason awards. He was named to the All-Conference second team as well as the All-Newcomer team when the Sunshine State Conference office announced the 2017-18 men’s basketball postseason awards.

#Mackey made school history when he became the first Eagles player to earn an All-Conference selection. He had an immediate impact on the programme as they transitioned to NCAA Division II with his record-breaking junior season.

#He averaged 17.3 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, both team leads. In 28 starts, he also set a new single-season double-doubles record with 23 on the year and ended the season with 13 such consecutive games. He posted a total of 350 rebounds, another school record, ranked second in NCAA Division II.

#Mackey transferred to the Eagles and NCAA Division II level after he posted stellar individual numbers and garnered postseason awards at the JuCo level. During his stint with the Daytona State College Falcons, he was named the Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year and was also named First team All-State in the conference as a sophomore.

f Thursday, August 31, 2017

Shaunae Miller-Uibo wins the women’s 200m followed by second placed Elaine Thompson of Jamaica, centre, and fourth placed Dafne Schippers of Netherlands, right, during the Weltklasse IAAF Diamond League international athletics meeting in the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Switzerland. (Walter Bieri/Keystone via AP)

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH half of her mission complete, Shaunae Miller-Uibo will be in Brussels, Belgium, for the last half of the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s Diamond League Final where she will try to add the 400 metre title to the 200m crown she secured a week ago in Zurich, Switzerland.

#Coming off her national record-breaking performance of 21.88 seconds for the victory in the women’s 200m and a hefty cash prize of $50,000 at the Weltklasse Zurich on Friday, Miller-Uibo will go after a repeat feat when she lines up in the 400m at the AG Memorial Van Damme this Friday.

#“I’m expecting as always to compete,” the 23-year-old Miller-Uibo told The Tribune. “It’s going to be my last race for the season so I want to leave on a good note.”

#Going into the race, Miller-Uibo has the third (49.77 seconds), fourth (49.80) and fifth (49.86) fastest times that trail only Americans Allyson Felix (49.65) and Quanera Haynes (49.72), but none of them will be in Brussels. Instead, she will face one of the three women who came from behind as she faltered down the stretch at the IAAF World Championships in London, England, falling from the lead to fourth.

#Salwa Naser, the silver medallist in London, will be among the field that will include three veteran Jamaican competitors – Novlene Williams-Mills, Sherica Jackson and Stephanie Ann McPherson. Also entered are Americans Natasha Hastings and Courtney Okolo. Lydia Jele from Botswana rounds out the field.

#“It’s going to be another great field of ladies, so hopefully we can put on another great show for the public,” Miller-Uibo said.

#If she is successful, Miller-Uibo will become the first female athlete to have won the 200/400m double in the history of the IAAF’s year ending meet, which previously was the Golden League Final where athletes earned points and the top finisher, based on their points accumulated, carted off the overall title.

#Under the previous format, only one Bahamian ever won a Golden League Final title and that was Tonique Williams in the women’s 400m when she set the national record in the event (49.07) – a time she ran in Berlin on September 12, 2004.

#Last Friday, Miller-Uibo matched Williams’ feat when she won the 200m title in Zurich. She came off the final curve in fourth and powered from behind on the straight-away to pull off the win over Jamaican Olympic double sprint champion Elaine Thompson, World Championships double sprint silver medallist Marie-Josee Ta Lou from the Ivory Coast and 200m champion and 100m bronze medallist Dafne Schippers from the Netherlands.

#“The race was fine. I just give God all the thanks and praise for everything,” said Miller-Uibo, who got the bronze in London behind Schippers and Ta Lou.

#Miller-Uibo, who was trying to attempt the 200/400m double at the World Championships, said while she had her share of disappointment in the 400m, it was a little more hurtful to watch in Zurich as Steven Gardiner slipped and fell coming out of the blocks of the men’s 400m last Friday and was unable to complete the race.

#“What happened to Steven was most unfortunate. I actually thought they were going to call the race back, but things like this happen,” she said. “Fortunate enough, he is injury free and I think that is what’s most important. He had a tremendous season and I’m sure that one hiccup won’t bring him down.”

#Gardiner, the Abaco native who turns 22 on September 12, became the first Bahamian to crack the 44-second barrier when he ran 43.89 in the semi-finals at the World Championships to lower his national record.